News

Recital at Carnegie Hall

On February 21st Marek will appear on a legendary stage -Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall in New York that seats almost 3000 people. The gala concert will be...

Recital at Carnegie Hall

On February 21st Marek will appear on a legendary stage -Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall in New York that seats almost 3000 people. The gala concert will be the 85th anniversary of I. J. Paderewski’s last concert at Carnegie Hall celebrating 100 years of Poland’s regained Independence. Marek will share the stage with Kevin Kenner, Szymon Nehring and Łukasz Krupiński.

Concerts in Japan

In October Marek will have a tournee in Japan. He will perform Chopin repertoire in concert halls in Tokyo, Nagoya, Hamamatsu...

Concerts in Japan

In October Marek will have a tournee in Japan. He will perform Chopin repertoire in concert halls in Tokyo, Nagoya, Hamamatsu, Gifu and Gamagori. He will also give masterclasses to the Japanese students.

Masterclass on period pianos

At the end of September Marek will become a tutor on the masterclass on period instruments during...

Masterclass on period pianos

At the end of September Marek will become a tutor on the masterclass on period instruments during the 1st edition of Period Piano Academy in Luslawice, Poland. Among other lecturers there will be Tobias Koch, Geoffrey Govier and Katarzyna Drogosz.

recital

Biography

Marek Bracha is seen as one of Poland’s most interesting pianists of the new generation. An artist with a refined and beautifully understated expressive style, Bracha is well versed in the classical and romantic repertoire, and feels equally comfortable with modern and period instruments. He is also pursuing systematic research into eighteenth- and nineteenth-century performance practice.

A highly versatile artist with a busy schedule, Marek Bracha promotes Polish music internationally and is no stranger to modern repertoire, including successful world premieres of new music. He has collaborated on a regular basis with conductors including Alun Francis, José Maria Florêncio, Wojciech Rodek, Jakub Chrenowicz and Jacek Kaspszyk. His artistic collaborations as a chamber musician include joint projects with Tobias Koch, Marcin Masecki, Agata Szymczewska, Maciej Frąckiewicz, the Atom String Quartet, the Royal String Quartet and the Meccore String Quartet. In July 2017 Marek performed with the Scharoun Ensemble der Berliner Philharmoniker.

In April this year Bracha performed at the Polin Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw, playing Władysław Szpilman’s Concertino for Piano and Orchestra and Richard Addinsell’s Warsaw Concerto with Sinfonia Varsovia under the conductor Jerzy Maksymiuk. Soon after that Marek appeared alongside the musicians of the Sharoun Ensemble der Berliner Philharmoniker at the opening gala concert of the 5th Emanacje Festival in Lusławice. Artists presented W. A Mozart’Piano Quartet in G minor K. 478 and F. Schubert’s Piano Quintet The Trout.

Over the past months Marek appeared with series of recitals in Japan. He also participated as a lecturer and tutor at fortepiano masterclass taking place in Lusławice in September.

The National Chopin Institute in Poland (NIFC) released his debut solo album featuring pieces by Chopin and some of his latest notable achievements include the release of Modern Soul, an album he recorded with the eminent violinist Agata Szymczewska and promoted with a concert at the National Polish Radio Symphonic Orchestra concert hall (NOSPR) in October 2016. Modern Soul went on to win the prestigious Supersonic Prize awarded by the Pizzicato magazine.

Marek Bracha has appeared at many music festivals and projects worldwide, including three appearances at the prestigious EXPO exhibitions (Hannover 2000, Aichi 2005 and Milan 2015). In 2010, Bracha gave the closing concert during the Chopin Year celebrations at the NCPA in Beijing. In 2013, the National Chopin Institute in Poland (NIFC) released his debut solo album featuring pieces by Chopin. His work promoting Polish music abroad included appearances at the Chopin au Jardin du Luxembourg in Paris (2013) and Semanas Musicales, an international music festival in Frutillar, Chile (January 2014), where he played music by Chopin, Szymanowski, Szpilman and Panufnik. An excellent interpreter of Chopin, Bracha is often invited to appear at Polish music festivals including, among others, the 65th International Chopin Piano Festival at Duszniki Zdrój, the 44th Festival of Piano Music in Słupsk, and La Folle Journée – Chopin Open in Warsaw.

Biography

Marek Bracha is seen as one of Poland’s most interesting pianists of the new generation. An artist with are fined and beautifully understated expressive style, Bracha is well versed in the classical and romantic repertoire, and feels equally comfortable with modern and period instruments. He is also pursuing systematic research into eighteenth- and nineteenth- century performance practice.

As highly versatile artist with a busy schedule, Marek Bracha promotes Polish music internationally and is no stranger to modern repertoire, including successful world premieres of new music. He has collaborated on a regular basis with conductors including Alun Francis, José Maria Florêncio, Wojciech Rodek, Jakub Chrenowicz and Jacek Kaspszyk. His artistic collaborations as a chamber musician include joint projects with Tobias Koch, Marcin Masecki, Agata Szymczewska, Maciej Frąckiewicz, the Atom String Quartet, the Royal String Quartet and the Meccore String Quartet. In July 2017 Marek performed with the Scharoun Ensemble der Berliner Philharmoniker.

The National Chopin Institute in Poland (NIFC) released his debut solo album featuring pieces by Chopin and some of his latest notable achievements include the release of Modern Soul, an album he recorded with the eminent violinist Agata Szymczewska and promoted with a concert at the National Polish Radio Symphonic Orchestra concert hall (NOSPR) in October 2016. Modern Soul went on to win the prestigious Supersonic Prize awarded by the Pizzicato magazine.

In the coming seasons Bracha is working on a recital programme comprising preludes from various periods from the seventeenth century to the present day, an artistic project conceived to showcase the historical development of the genre. Bracha is also working on separate recitals focusing on fantasias and mazurkas, to be shown from various perspectives and in different interpretations as a vivid illustration of the piano’s historical capabilities and of the different ways composers have dealt with the challenges posed by the instrument.

Marek Bracha has appeared at many music festivals and projects worldwide, including three appearances at the prestigious EXPO exhibitions (Hannover 2000, Aichi 2005 and Milan 2015). In 2010, Bracha gave the closing concert during the Chopin Year celebrations at the NCPA in Beijing. In 2013, the National Chopin Institute in Poland (NIFC) released his debut solo album featuring pieces by Chopin. His work promoting Polish music abroad included appearances at the Chopin au Jardin du Luxembourg in Paris (2013) and Semanas Musicales, an international music festival in Frutillar, Chile (January 2014), where he played music by Chopin, Szymanowski, Szpilman and Panufnik. An excellent interpreter of Chopin, Bracha is often invited to appear at Polish music festivals including, among others, the 65th International Chopin Piano Festival at Duszniki Zdrój, the 44th Festival of Piano Music in Słupsk, and La Folle Journée – Chopin Open in Warsaw.

On top of his artistic work Marek Bracha is known as an accomplished teacher working with young musicians at the Elsner State Music High School and the Brzewski Music High School in Warsaw; he has also lectured and taught workshops on period instrument performance practice. In 2015 he was a commentator for TVP Kultura, Poland’s state television’s culture channel, during the 17th International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw.

Marek Bracha is a graduate of the Chopin Music University in Warsaw, where he studied with Teresa Manasterska, Joanna Ławrynowicz and Alicja Paleta-Bugaj. He completed a Master of Music programme at the Royal College of Music in London in the class of Kevin Kenner (awarded with distinction), and an Artist Diploma Programme with Vanessa Latarche (piano) and Geoffrey Govier (period instruments).

In 2004-2005, Bracha held a scholarship from the Polish Fund for Gifted Children. He has received numerous other scholarships including two from the Minister of Culture (1997 and 2005) and one from the Prime Minister of Poland (2003). In 2009, he received a scholarship from the St. Marylebone Educational Foundation in London, followed by the prize of the Pro Polonia Foundation and a scholarship from the Better Tomorrow Foundation in 2010. In January 2011 he was awarded a Young Poland Scholarship from the Minister of Culture.

Marek Bracha has also garnered prizes and awards from Polish and international piano competitions, including a second prize at the International Chopin Piano Competition at Mariánske Lázně in the Czech Republic (August 2010). In October 2010 Bracha was one of four Polish pianists representing his country in the second stage of the 16th International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw, Poland. In 2011, a scholarship from the Worshipful Company of Musicians in London helped him to pursue a research and teaching project on period instrument performance practice as a Junior Fellow at the Royal College of Music in London.

Marek Bracha is represented and endorsed by the Ludwig van Beethoven Association.